Lemborexant Reduces Infarct Volume and Improves Long-Term Functional Recovery in a Murine Model of Ischemic Stroke

If you and/or a co-author has a X handle that you would like to be tagged, please enter it here. (format: @AUTHORSHANDLE). @EricLandsnessWhat is the current knowledge on the topic? Sleep plays a critical role in structural and functional recovery after stroke, but most pharmacologic sleep aids, such as benzodiazepines and zolpidem, can fragment sleep and impair neuroplasticity. Dual orexin receptor antagonists like lemborexant may offer a newer, mechanistically distinct approach with potential neuroprotective benefits.What question did this study address? This study investigated whether the dual orexin receptor antagonist lemborexant could improve sleep quality, reduce ischemic injury, and enhance functional recovery following stroke in adult mice, compared with the sleep-promoting agent zolpidem.What does this study add to our knowledge? Lemborexant increased NREM sleep without causing fragmentation, reduced infarct volume, and improved motor recovery when administered. These findings suggest that modulating sleep architecture through orexin antagonism during the subacute phase after stroke can promote neural repair and functional recovery.How might this potentially impact on the practice of neurology? Since lemborexant is already FDA-approved for insomnia, these results could be rapidly translated into a therapeutic opportunity to improve stroke recovery through targeted sleep modulation. This approach may shift poststroke care toward integrating neurorestorative, sleep-based interventions during the subacute phase.